The present invention relates to a device for connecting and insulating a thermal protector for electrical windings of motors.
It is known that in the mass-production of electric motors, manufacturers have a growing need to automate their processes in order to achieve considerable economies of scale.
However, this need clashes with the fact that in the electrical field many technologically developed countries have rather restrictive standards in order to ensure the quality and safety of the product.
Accordingly, the need to combine high quality and safety with large production runs induces operators in this field to develop solutions aimed at assembling components on automatic machines.
In particular, one very important component of the protection means of an electric motor is the thermal protector and particularly its connection and insulation.
The thermal protector is substantially constituted by a component that is sensitive to the temperature variations of the windings of the motor and ensures that said windings, once a preset temperature has been reached, are disconnected from the contacts to the electric power supply.
The thermal protectors currently applied to motors are substantially connected by means of clinched or soldered wires which are then insulated by means of heat-shrink sheaths and positioned manually, and therefore it is necessary to provide a specialized operator dedicated to the wiring and to assembling said thermal protector.
The aim of the present invention is to provide a device for connecting and insulating a thermal protector for electrical windings of motors that ensures automated assembly without however sacrificing the safety and quality assurances of the final product.
Within this aim, an important object of the present invention is to provide a device for connecting and insulating a thermal protector that ensures complete absence of significant interference regarding the properties of detection and sensitivity to thermal variations of the winding.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a device for connecting and insulating a thermal protector whose structure ensures high flexibility of application as regards both the shape and size.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a device for connecting and insulating a thermal protector whose structure also allows application to motor types that are already in production and have already been developed.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a device for connecting and insulating a thermal protector whose structure allows its easy replacement in case of malfunction and allows to manufacture it through known technologies and systems.
This aim and these and other objects that will become better apparent hereinafter are achieved by a device for connecting and insulating a thermal protector for electrical winding of motors, characterized in that it comprises a tray-like shell made of a plastic material which contains the protector and is provided with one or more terminals for electrical contact with the power supply of the motor to which it is applied, said contacts protruding from said shell, said shell having one or more tabs and locators which are adapted to be applied by anchoring, within suitable and complementary regions of the spools of the windings of the motor enclosed in a plastic cover.